Torch fuse-lighter



UNITE STATES PATENT FFEE.

EVELYN PAUL AURAND, OF TAMAQUA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ATLAS POWDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

DELAWARE.

TORCH FUSE-LIGHTER.

1,388,502. Specification of Letters Patent.

No Drawing. Application filed May 5, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EVELYN PAUL AURAND, a citizen. of the United States of America, residing at Tamaqua, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Torch FuseLighters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to'produce a torch fuse lighter of simple construction which shall be positive in its action, highly water resistant and which cannot be blown out by wind.

To such ends my invention consists in providing a suitable binding composition for mealed black powder or other inflammable mixtures, consisting of a nitrate, or nitrates,

sulfur, and carbonaceous matter,.hereafter termed analogous mixtures, and I have discovered that nitro-starch gelatinized with acetone, amyl acetate, or other suitable solvent, or solvents, possesses the necessary adhesiveness in a marked degree, and, further more, when the solvent has'been driven off, the product is very resistant to the action of water or moisture and, by reason of its high degree of inflammability, this binder does not interfere with the burning properties of the mealed back powder or analogous mixtures as previously set forth.

7 The mealed black powder, or analogous mixtures, and gelatinized nitro-starchform a plastic mass which is readily molded by any ordinary means into desired shape and I prefer it in the form of strips or rods varying from 6 to 12 inches in length and from to 2} inch inthickness. The drying out of the solvents leaves these strips or rods in a rigid condition and I promote and control their flexibility and consequently their freedom from undue brittleness by the addition of a liquid nitro-aromatic compound or compounds to the gelatinized nitro-starch.

I control the rate of burning by varying the proportions of the mealed black powder, or analogous mixtures, and the gelatinized component.

In making torch fuse lighters of various degrees of flexibility and rates of burning, I use ingredients with the proportions as follows:

Mealed black powder or analogous mixtures 65 to 85 per cent.

. Nitro starch 5 to 25 Liquid nitro aromatic compound or compounds 0 to 20 Serial No. 467,130.

the nitro-starch and liquid nitro aromatic compound or compounds to be gelatinized with sufiicient suitable solvent to give the necessary plasticity, the amount of solvent necessary depending on the proportions of other ingredients used.

I may further water-proof my fuse lighters by coating the above described product in any convenient way with shellac, nitro-cotton lacquers, or any other well known and desirable protective materials.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. .As an article of manufacture and use, a torch for lighting fuses consisting of mealed black powder and analogous substances and a binding material which consists essentially of gelatinized nitro-starch.

2. As an article of manufacture and use, torches consisting of mealed black powder and like mixtures of a nitrate, sulfur, and carbonaceous matter, the binding material of which consists essentially of gelatinized nitro-starch, to which is added a liquid nitroaromatic compound, to promote flexibility and aid in controlling rates of burning.

3. As an article of manufacture and use, torches consisting of mealed black powder or other mixtures of a nitrate, sulfur, and carbonaceous matter, the binding material of which consists essentially of gelatinized nitro-starch, to which is added a liquid nitroaromatic compound, to promote flexibility, said torches being coated with materials'of water-proofing properties.

4. A fuse lighting torch comprising an inflammable mixture and a binder therefor consisting of gelatinized nitro-starch.

5. An article of manufacture comprising an inflammable mixture and a binder therefor consisting of gelatinized nitro-starch, the whole being shaped to form suitable for use as a torch for 1i 'hting fuses;

In testimony w ereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EVELYN PAUL AURAND.

Witnesses: R. L. HILL, 

